TRADE union members have branded Sefton Council’s major service review: ‘privatisation on a large scale’.

A Unison representative told Sefton’s cabinet committee that staff in the departments affected by the review feared for their long-term job security.

Sefton is conducting the service review to consider outsourcing what could end up being the majority of its departments to private companies or other councils.

After inviting outside bodies to express interest in running a number of services, including children’s services, financial services and technical services, council officers are now short-listing applicants.

At a meeting at Bootle Town Hall, Unison officer Ken Lewis said there was disquiet about the changes the review could bring.

Mr Lewis, a council worker for nearly 10 years, said: “This is purely an exercise in privatisation on a large scale.

“As far as I’m concerned, as a council employee I work for the benefit of Council Taxpayers. We’re not here to increase our profits.

“When the major service review was first mentioned, it was touted as an opportunity to change the way we work for the better through outsourcing or in-house options. Now, it seems to us that the in-house options are disappearing.”

He said: “Members are concerned about their future employment. Companies which take charge of services could, over time, decide to change employees’ terms and conditions or get taken over by other companies who would later change the terms and conditions.

“At the end of the day, people could lose their jobs. Private companies aren’t getting into this through of a sense of duty. It’s the entrepreneurial spirit – they want to make a profit.”

Glen Williams, convener of Sefton’s local government Unison branch, said: “This is a short-term fix.

“There is a significant degree of haste in pushing this through. We are not being consulted but have simply been presented with a fait accomplis.

“Hundreds of millions of pounds of public money could be handed over to private contractors but the public is not being consulted on it.

“We want a genuine opportunity to contribute and a genuine attempt to be made for in-house options to be considered alongside the other options – and not as a last resort.”

Sefton’s chief executive, Graham Haywood, said the council was conducting the review “for the right reasons” and added there was still an option not to proceed.

He said: “Throughout the process, we have openly communicated what is happening.

“We meet with trade unions on a regular basis and, on the staff side, we’ve been producing newsletters setting out clearly where we are up to with this and have held staff briefings.

“We are not committed to enter into contracts for the next two or three months and so there is a window of opportunity for more engagement between us, the trade unions and potential partners.

“Trade union members and council staff will have the opportunity to visit some of the companies on our shortlist.

“The problem is, people want to know the final answer and the reality is we don’t have one. A certain degree of uncertainty is inevitable.

“The review is positive for staff as otherwise we would probably have to start making cuts. As part of the review we have in-house options but those are more limited and mean we are more likely to have to make cuts.”

Earlier this year, officials from the Transport and General Workers Union slammed proposals under the review to outsource school crossing patrols.

According to Sefton council leader Tony Robertson, the service review is a response to huge financial pressures including repeatedly low government grant settlements, pay increases for civil servants and a pledge to keep Council Tax rises below 3%.

He said keeping all services in-house could lead to the closure of facilities like libraries and leisure centres.

Throughout the review process, which began late last year, it has been stressed that the jobs and pensions of the 11,500-strong council staff will be protected and that all senior management and policy-making posts would remain under council control.

The plan is being modelled on the examples of Pendle and East Riding, in Yorkshire, which have both signed deals with private partners.